As a father, I am truly aware of the importance of reserving a special time for my three daughters
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Parents should collaborate in nurturing their children to optimize their development, Indonesian Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Minister Nadiem Makarim said at a webinar here on Friday.

The first thousand days of children's life is the most crucial period in terms of their physical and intellectual development, he informed.

Parents play an important role in building children's capability in terms of literacy, interaction, and sharing with others, he said.

"As a father, I am truly aware of the importance of reserving a special time for my three daughters. I do not want to miss precious moments in my children's early life," Makarim affirmed.

Taking care of children is not just a job for mothers, he said adding, fathers should also play an equal role in the child development process.

"Father's participation is very influential in children's developmental process," he elaborated.

Echoing his opinion, Makarim's wife, Franka Franklin, also said that collaboration between mothers and fathers is useful for fulfilling children's needs. It is important that parents complement each other, she added.

If parents are supportive of one another in this process, then children will learn values such as mutual assistance and sharing, she pointed out.

"These are values that children should learn from an early age so that they can grow up to become people who are capable of interacting and cooperating with others by respecting and valuing each other," she explained.

Franklin pointed out how she and Makarim share taking care of their children. Franklin said she is responsible for their children's nutritional needs and other essential matters.

"We complement and strengthen one another for the sole purpose of ensuring that our children can happily experience this golden age with a healthy body and receive the best education for their future," she expounded.

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Translator: Maria Cicilia, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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